


Thunder and Lightning

by bromanian



Category: Free!
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Sano Trio, School Trip, Thunderstorms, i wrote this for my soul, sousuke is a treasure, the title is an esc reference cause i had to
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 18:30:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15515961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bromanian/pseuds/bromanian
Summary: Rin, Sousuke and Kisumi are on an overnight school trip. What will Sousuke do when he is woken up by his two friends in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm and how will he comfort them?





	Thunder and Lightning

**Author's Note:**

> So umm I really like hurt/comfort and there's not enough of it  
> Sousuke is a sweetheart who loves his friends  
> Rin and Kisumi are too precious for anyone's good

"Finally!" exclaimed Rin, throwing himself on the double bed in their hotel room. "I don't think my back could have taken any more sitting in the bus."

"Same here!" said Kisumi, plopping down on the bed as dramatically as Rin, with a grin on his face. He stretched his back for a second and then looked over at the other boy, a mischievous glint in his eyes shining as he starts tickling the redhead.

"Kisumi! Stop that!" The threat wasn't quite as efficient as he couldn't stop laughing, unsuccessfully trying to push the taller boy off him.

"Hey!" a third, more serious voice, chimed in and immediately caught the giggling boys' attention. "Why are there only two beds?"

"Oh, hey, you're right." said Kisumi, having just noticed. "But this one's a double bed, so I guess it is a three people room."

"Tsk." Sousuke rolled his eyes, annoyed.

"Well, I have an idea!" smirked Rin. "Rock, paper, scissors for the single bed!" he jumped in front of Sousuke and Kisumi quickly followed him.

Standing in front of each other in a circle, they were all determined to win. Well, some more than others as Kisumi didn't really mind sharing, but he would never back away from a challenge. 

"ROCK! PAPER! SCISSORS!" they yelled in unison as they faced each other in a very dramatic stand-off. The outcome was perfect: two papers and a scissor.

"Yes! Suck it, losers!" cheered Sousuke a little too enthusiastically to match the whole "intimidating" vibe he was going for.

"Aw,  _come on_ _!_ " whined Rin, stomping his foot lightly, making Sousuke laugh.

"Don't cry about it!"

The statement earned Sousuke a couple of weak punches and insults, though they didn't manage to wipe the smile off his face.

"Hey, Rin, it won't be that bad to share the bed, will it?" giggled Kisumi.

"You're right! And I wouldn't want to share it with Sousuke anyway! He would probably try to murder me in my sleep." he glared at the brunet, sticking out his tongue.

"Can't deny that" he shrugged.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Don't worry too much, Rin, you will have to get used to sharing a bed at some point." said Kisumi playfully.

"What is  _that_ supposed to mean?" he repeated, somewhere between annoyed and confused, but all he got from Kisumi was another laugh.

 

* * *

 

After getting scolded by Sousuke for making too noise and keeping him awake, the boys finally calmed down and seemed to have fallen asleep. At least Sousuke had.

It was almost 2 a.m. and Kisumi knew he was going to have a tough time in the morning. Lying down on the side of the bed facing the window, he couldn't tear his eyes off of the rain outside, hoping that the storm would just die out already, worry settling in his usually cheerful eyes. Next to him, Rin was facing Sousuke's bed which was placed against the wall opposite the window. He watched the taller boy sleep as a way to distract himself from the loud rain.

_God, please don't let this be a thunderstor-_

He didn't even have the time to finish his thought when a sudden light filled the room, a loud crack quickly following it.

He jumped a little, hoping he hadn't disturbed the other boy, as his heartbeat started quickening. Next to him, Kisumi shut his eyes tightly and covered his mouth with his hand so that no whimpers or other embarrassing noises would escape. Neither of them seemed to notice the other one.

After a couple more lightning strikes, both boys were trying really hard to calm down, but that didn't really seem to work out. They were both shaking, Rin's cheeks now streaked with tears as he tried to sniff quietly. Kisumi was curled up in a ball, holding his knees to his chest, eyes filled with tears that just hadn't fallen yet. 

_Damn it, I can't believe I'm such a wuss! What would mom say about this?_

When another loud sound mixed with the noise inside his head, the tears finally broke free and fell from the pink-haired child's eyes, Kisumi biting his lip so that he wouldn't let out a sob. He decided to turn around and scoot closer to his friend for a little more comfort.

But as he turned around, he was met with another pair of teary eyes as Rin decided to try to get a little comfort out of Kisumi's presence as well.

"Rin," he said in a weak, quiet voice, "w-what's wrong?"

"I-" another loud thud echoed in the room, this time drawing audible whimpers out of the two boys, Rin reaching forward and grabbing onto Kisumi's arm and closing his eyes.

"A-Are you scared of thunders too?" Kisumi's voice broke as he asked this after he had calmed down a little after the latest thunder.

Rin nodded shyly looking away, still holding tightly to Kisumi's arm. He finally met his friend's eyes, both of them looking absolutely terrified.

"What are we going to do?"

"I d-don't know..."

They sounded as if they were extremely close to breaking into a sobbing fit. When the next lightning hit, Kisumi actually let out a strangled sob and grabbed Rin's free hand.

"M-maybe Sousuke can h-help..." the purple-eyed boy hardly managed to say between sobs and Rin wanted to protest, but when he felt Kisumi's hand on his and saw the boy shaking and then he heard the storm still going full-force outside, as well as his own rapid heartbeat as his other hand was still gripping Kisumi's arm, all he managed to do was choke out an "okay".

Rin let go of his arm, but they kept holding hands tightly as they carefully got out of bed, both still shaking in front of Sousuke's sleeping form, unsure of what to do. But then a lightning hit again, they whimpered once more, jumping at the sudden noise that followed and Sousuke must have finally heard either them or the storm. He slowly opened his eyes, trying to make out what was going on in front of him.

"What..." he rubbed his tired eyes, hair messy and brows in a frown. "What's going on? Why aren't you sleeping?" he asked, slightly annoyed, but more tired. His tone made the boys a little more scared, Kisumi struggling to respond fast:

"I- um we- the storm and-" he tried to form a coherent sentence, but was too overwhelmed by his emotions and just let out a pained cry. That really woke Sousuke up, getting up to sit on the side of the bed, worry clouding his teal eyes. Next to him, he saw Rin's tear streaked face, the shorter one shaking and holding the taller's hand. Before he had the chance to say something, the storm sent another loud crack that had the two boys jump in fear.

"Are you scared of the storm?" he raised his eyebrows, not in a condescending way, but in a kind and caring way. The duo nodded softly, both blushing from embarrassment and fear.

 _Oh boy..._ Sousuke thought as he was getting out of bed, feeling two gazes follow him as he moved to the other bed, sitting in the middle.

"Come back to bed." he said firmly, but softly. The boys approached him slowly, looking a little unsure. But when yet another thunder hit, Kisumi let go of Rin's hand and quickly made his way under the covers on Sou's left, Rin now having to take the window side, which he quickly did, feeling too alone standing in the middle of the room.

While Kisumi immediately grabbed at Sousuke's arm and rested his forehead against his shoulder, Rin was a little reluctant to touch him, despite him being his best friend. It was embarrassing! But all of those thoughts died out when an especially loud thud could be heard, burying his face in the crook of the brunet's other shoulder, fresh tears spilling on his skin. When he felt the hot tears and how violently the two were still shaking, he wrapped an arm protectively around each of them, rubbing circles on their backs.

The sudden display of affection was too much for them and, overwhelmed with emotion, both started crying loudly into Sousuke's chest.

Rin remembered how his father used to hold him just like this every time there was a thunderstorm. How he would pick him up, look at him with the kindest, most loving eyes and tell him everything was going to be okay. How he cuddled between him and his mother on their bed every time he was scared and sometimes Gou was there too, all of them together.

He sobbed as he remembered that that was never going to happen again. That there will never be "all of them together" again. That he has to be the man in the family, he has to be strong for his mother and for his little sister. He allows himself to be weak this one time. He allows himself to be held by his best friend and let out all the feelings he's been repressing lately. He reminded himself that the storm will pass - that's what his father always said. One day he will be strong enough to be able to lift himself up. But, until then, he will allow himself to cry this one time.

Kisumi remembered running into his parents' room on a stormy night, hugging his teddy bear. He opened the door gently and stepped inside, the light coming from the hallway making his mother groan.

 _"What are you doing here?"_ she said angrily.

 _"I-I couldn't sleep b-because of the storm..."_ he hiccupped, hugging his toy tightly as he cried.

 _"And you decided to come and wake us up as well. You're so selfish; it's just some damn rain! You are not a baby anymore, are you?"_ she growled at him and he whimpered.

_"N-no, but I-"_

_"Are you sure? Because only a baby would cry because of rain. Just leave already, I want to sleep."_

_"But..."_   he noticed his father had woken up.  _"D-dad?"_ he looked at his father with pleading eyes.

 _"Get out."_ He was frozen in place, his lower lip trembling and his eyes watering.  _"I said get out!"_ his father said more aggressively and Kisumi shut his eyes tightly together and ran back into his room. Once he closed the door he collapsed on the floor and started sobbing violently into his teddy bear.

Thinking about this made him remember how nice Sousuke was to him. He grabbed a fistful of his shirt and cried into his neck, struggling to breathe properly as sobs ripped through his body. Sousuke was there to comfort him after he got scolded for a bad grade on his math test. He even helped him with his math afterwards. He remembered how Sousuke walked him home when some kids were picking on him and how him and Rin were the only ones who stood up for him when his parents and his teachers brushed it off. He remembered how hard it was for him to make friends and now he had _them_ and he couldn't be happier. But still, he kept crying.

Sousuke hated seeing his friends like this. He might seem cold and intimidating at first, but he loves them a lot. He leaned over a little and said softly into Rin's hair: "Hey, it's alright..."

Then he whispered closer to Kisumi: "Everything is going to be alright."

Kisumi nodded and hugged his friend closer. After a while the sobs had died out, but Sousuke still felt them slightly shaking so, without really thinking, he pressed a kiss on each of the boys' heads which pretty much froze them.

They both raised their heads at the same time, which was kinda creepy, to look at the brunet with big puffy eyes, both of their faces flushed. Seeing them looking at him like that made Sousuke blush himself and look away from their intense gazes.

"Oh my god, Sousuke that was so cute!" said Kisumi, lacking the usual cheer in his voice and no smile on his serious face, but Sousuke didn't feel that much sadness in his words, so that made him happy.

"I knew you were a softie!" Rin tried to tease, but his voice was still a little too weak for it to have the same effect.

"I don't think you are in an appropriate position to say that." he teased back with no rudeness in his voice and the other boys laughed a little, short, but genuinely happy, which made Sousuke smile as well. "Alright, now go back to sleep." he said, lightly pushing their heads back to his chest and the fact that he remained there made the other two really happy.

They fell asleep shortly after, all tangled up in each other and it was really sight you could never forget.

**Author's Note:**

> this was very self-indulgent lmao  
> I might write some more hurt/comfort so if you have any suggestions let me know  
> Thank you for reading!!


End file.
